This Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake is an easy, crowd-pleasing recipe ready in under 30 minutes. It’s creamy, cheesy and perfect for a fuss-free vegetarian midweek family meal — no cooked sauce required.
Meet your new favourite pasta bake: Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake. I adore ricotta and spinach in filled pastas, but stuffing shells or cannelloni takes time. This version skips that step — combine the ingredients, add a quick no-cook tomato topping and bake. It’s a simple, satisfying vegetarian dinner that’s quick to prepare.
Why you’ll love this Spinach and Ricotta Pasta recipe
⭐️ Deliciously cheesy and comforting.
⭐️ Super simple — no sauce to cook.
⭐️ Vegetarian and includes two portions of veg per serving.
How we came up with this recipe
This dish works well with rigatoni, but any sturdy pasta will do. I make vegetarian pasta bakes often because they’re affordable, flavourful and easy to vary. Building a creamy ricotta base and finishing with a quick tomato topping keeps things fast without sacrificing taste.
Pasta bakes are also great for prepping ahead — mix everything, refrigerate and bake when you’re ready.
Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Ingredients
- Pasta – rigatoni works well, but any pasta you have is fine.
- Spinach – frozen leaf spinach preferred for texture; if using fresh, add it near the end of cooking to wilt.
- Tinned tomatoes – drained for the topping.
- Garlic powder – use powder rather than garlic salt.
- Dried oregano – double the amount if using fresh.
- Honey – or a little sugar to balance the tomato acidity.
- Dried chilli flakes – adds a gentle warmth; adjust to taste.
- Olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Ricotta cheese – full-fat gives the creamiest result; low-fat is fine if preferred.
- Mozzarella – grated for sprinkling.
- Parmesan – optional but adds depth (Grana Padano is a good substitute).
- Fresh basil – to garnish.
How to make Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake
1. Boil the pasta with frozen spinach until just cooked — avoid overcooking because it will finish in the oven. Drain, leaving a little starchy water to help bind the ricotta sauce, then mix with the ricotta, grated mozzarella, garlic powder, parmesan (if using) and seasoning.
2. While the pasta cooks, make the tomato topping by draining the tinned tomatoes and stirring in tomato puree, garlic powder, oregano, honey (or sugar), chilli flakes, olive oil, salt and pepper. Spoon this over the cheese-coated pasta in a casserole dish.
3. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the top and bake at 200°C/400°F for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
4. Finish with torn fresh basil and serve hot.
Substitutions
- Vegan – swap ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan for dairy-free alternatives to make a vegan version.
Leftovers
In the fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat thoroughly in the microwave or on the hob with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Freezing: Pasta bakes can be frozen, though texture may change slightly on reheating. If you prefer firmer pasta, freeze only once cooled and reheat gently.
Top tips
Cooking the pasta
Follow the pasta packet instructions and avoid overcooking; timings can vary.
Spinach
For frozen spinach, cook it with the pasta for the full time. Fresh spinach needs only 1–2 minutes to wilt at the end.
To get a creamier sauce
Use two packs of ricotta (about 500g/1.1lb) for a wetter, creamier finish.
Keep some water
Leave a little starchy cooking water when you drain the pasta; it helps the ricotta combine into a silky sauce.
FAQs
This bake is a complete meal on its own, but you can serve it with a simple side salad or garlic bread if you want extras.
Yes. This recipe pre-boils the pasta so the texture after baking is just right. It delivers the best results compared with using uncooked pasta straight into the oven.
There are many vegetarian pasta bakes and one-pot options that work well if you enjoy this style of cooking.
Please leave a rating and let us know how it turned out. If you’d like to share your photos, tag us on Instagram.
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Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 g (9 oz) Dried pasta
- 450 g (1 lb) Fresh spinach, See notes.
For the tomato sauce:
- 800 g (28 oz) Tinned tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Tomato puree
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Dried oregano
- 1 tbsp Honey, Or sugar if you prefer.
- 0.5 tsp Dried chilli flakes, Or more, to taste.
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
For the ricotta sauce:
- 250 g (9 oz) Ricotta cheese, See notes.
- 100 g (4 oz) Mozzarella, Grated.
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- 50 g (2 oz) Parmesan cheese, Grated (optional).
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
For topping:
- 150 g (5 oz) Mozzarella, Grated.
To garnish:
- 20 g (4 tsp) Fresh basil
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
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Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water for 10 minutes.
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If using frozen spinach: add it to the pasta for the full 10 minutes. If using fresh spinach: add it 1–2 minutes before the end of cooking to wilt, then drain.
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Drain the tinned tomatoes in a sieve, then combine them with the tomato puree, garlic powder, oregano, honey, chilli flakes, olive oil, salt and pepper.
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When pasta and spinach are ready, drain most of the water but leave a little to help make the ricotta sauce.
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Stir the ricotta, grated mozzarella, garlic powder, parmesan (if using) and seasoning into the pasta, gently combining. Transfer to a casserole dish.
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Spoon the tomato mixture over the pasta and scatter the remaining mozzarella on top.
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Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
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Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve.
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Notes
Spinach: Frozen spinach needs the full 10 minutes with the pasta; fresh spinach only 1–2 minutes to wilt.
Creamier sauce: For a looser, creamier sauce use 500g (1.1lb) ricotta instead of 250g.
Parmesan: Optional but recommended if available; Grana Padano is a good alternative.
Keep some water: Leave a little starchy cooking water when draining the pasta to help the ricotta form a smooth sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation and is per portion unless stated otherwise.
Additional Info
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